Christmas usually arrives several months early for shopkeepers, but with only 91 sleeps left to go many are saying there are still no signs of their usual pre-Christmas rush.
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Eco Living and Gifts owner Chelsea Martin said at this time of year her shop would normally be taking in pre-orders for Christmas gifts, but have not had any so far.
"Our customers would usually be getting ready now, but I have not had one mention Christmas - I don't know whether it's going to be as big this year," Ms Martin said.
"Even in my family no one's really mentioned Christmas - my nephew said their family isn't doing Christmas this year, they're just going to spend time together and get rid of the gifts."
She says these days the shopfront has fallen quiet, with more of her customers going on to her new website to order home deliveries.
While some sales have slowed Ms Martin said her range of plant-made disinfectant and hand sanitiser has soared in popularity, especially among those who'd developed contact dermatitis from all the constant hand washing.
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Confetti Emporium owner Melanie Hamilton said it had been quite a while since the shop had had a normal Christmas sales season, due to years of drought and bushfires.
However Ms Hamilton said the sales were starting to pick up again, as the bustling shopping atmosphere gradually returns to Baylis Street.
"It's just nonstop: drought, bushfires, and then COVID. I think people are looking to buy things to cheer themselves up," Ms Hamilton said.
"People who would normally travel this time of the year stayed home, so we've sold tonnes more knitwear than we normally would because nobody had a winter wardrobe because they'd thought they'd be in Italy."
She said stocking up for Christmas would likely be a struggle for retailers this year, as wholesalers in China and India face heightened restrictions.
She said the price of air freight had skyrocketed from $1.20 to $8 per kilo, prompting wholesalers to ship their products by sea and causing delays in the supply chain for Wagga shops.
"Nobody's really looking at Christmas, but I would absolutely suggest people start shopping early because most of our wholesalers are only getting one shipment in the next month and that's it," she said.
Cheekyliscious owner Rachel McCartney said her shop was still recovering from the bushfire season, and that she was shaking up her business model to keep afloat.
"Everyone does the same things after a while so we've come up with different things; personalising cups, glasses, face masks," she said.
Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
